Apparatus for coating paper and the like with lacquers



J. J. CASE March 12, 1935 APPARATUS FOR COATING PAPER AND THE LIKE WITH LACQUERS Filed Oct. 5, 1931 :s Sheefs-Sheet 1 March 12, 1935. J. J. CASE 1,993,772

APPARATUS FOR COATING PAPER AND TIGE LIKE WITH LACQUERS Filed Oct. 5, 1951 3 sheets-sheet 2 ATTGRNEY March 1935. J. J. QAsE 1,993,772

APPARATUS FOR COATING PAPER AND THE LIKE WITH LACQUERS Filed Oct, 5, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 VENT R ATTORN EY Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR COATING PAPER AND THE LIKE WITH LACQUERS Application October 5, 1931, Serial No. 566,906

2 Claims. (C1. 91--51)v This invention relates to the method and apparatus for coating paper and the like with lacquers.

Various methods for coating papers with lacquers have been used but difiiculty has been experienced with them all. One method has been to apply the lacquer with a roller running in a bath. In this case the lacquer is streaky in appearance due to the fact that the lacquer does not remain evenly on the roller but forms circles of greater depths lengthwise of the roller and consequently streaks of greater depth of coating are formed on the paper. Another method is to flow the lacquer upon the paper. In this case variation and steakiness occur as well as a failure of the coating to adhere at all places to the paper. Lacquers are particularly diflicult to handle due to the quick evaporation of the solventsand the consequent thickening and gumming of the residue.

I have found that in order to prevent flaking, particularly with certain forms of paper stock, that the lacquer should be applied under pressure. I have further found that it is essential to apply the lacquer uniformly and to control the quantity of the lacquer or the depth of the coating applied. In order to prevent gumming and to maintain the coating uniform it is also.

desirable to replace the lacquer used in coating at the same rate. In other words, only a minimum of lacquer is exposed to the air and is replaced only as it is used in coating.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for the coating of paper and other materials with lacquer. Still another object of this invention is to coat paper and the like with lacquers uniformly and with a predetermined depth of coating.

Still another object of this invention is to properly bind the lacquer coating to the paper to prevent flaking. A further object of this invention is to coat paper and the like quickly and economically without streaking and without shut downs because of gumming.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a device embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a front view in elevation.

Figure 3 is a detail view in side elevation showing the means for maintaining the coating level constant and the adjustment means to regulate the pressure of the bottom roll.

Figure 4 is a detail view showing the pressure regulating means of the lower roll.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the lacquer tray.

Figure 6 is a detail view of the lacquer planing blade.

In carrying out my invention I propose to provide a frame 1 mounted on a base 2. Frame 1 has channels 3 in the upright portions for bearing blocks 5 of paper roller '7 and bearing blocks 6 for lacquer roller 8. Mounted on the top of each upright of frame 1 are handwheels 9 secured to screws 11 which are threaded through the top of frame 1. Screws l1 carry collars 12 in housings 13 of blocks 5 to permit of the raising and lowering of bearing blocks 5 andthe consequent raising or lowering of paper roller 7 in channels 3. Lacquer roller 8 has threaded rods 14 into the underside of blocks 6 and carry collar 15. Journaled within rod 14 are pins 16 in my micrometer heads 17. Micrometer heads 17 are rotated by shaft 18 carrying worm gear 19 operated by worm 20. Indicator 21 cooperates with pointer 22 for the setting. A shaft 23 is supported by bearings 24 in frame 1. A brake 25 cooperates with drum 26 carried by shaft 23 to control the tension on the paper and the brake is adjustable by wing nut and bolt 27. The guide roller 28 is journaled in bearings 29 at the bottom and rear of frame 1 and likewise guide roller 30 is journaled in bearings 31 carried by frame 1 above lacquer roller 8. A lacquer pan 32 is supported under lacquer roller 8 and can be lowered to permit withdrawal from under the lacquer roller 8. A hand lever 33 when rocked rotates shaft 34 and lever arms 35 secured to lacquer pan supporting trough 36 as well as lever arms 37 likewise secured to lacquer pan support 36. In other words, the supporting trough 36 for lacquer pan 32 is carried by four parallel arms. The rotation of two of them causing the other two to likewise rotate to drop the pan while at the same time moving sideways to permit removal of the lacquer pan 32 from beneath lacquer roller 8. Reversing the movement of lever 33 restores pan 32 to initial position. An arcuate slotted stop 38 controls the throw of lever 33.

A lacquer reservoir 39 is secured to frame 1 in any suitable manner and is connected to pan 32 by flexible tubing 40. Valve 41 permits a predeterminedregulated flow to maintain the level of the lacquer at a predetermined level. Valve 42 is a stop or shutoff valve. Adjustably secured to frame 1 is a relatively thick blade 43 having tapered edge. The adjustment is by precision screws 44. Blade 43 removes the lacquer from lacquer roller 8 to a predetermined depth, planing it ofi and removing the circular ridges of greater depth that always form on a roller thereby permitting a uniform application of the lacquer without streaking and of a predetermined thickness. Blade 43 is positioned just prior to the application by lacquer roller 8 of the lacquer to the paper under pressure. An adjustable triangular plate 45 is positioned below blade 43 to prevent the whipping or surging of the lacquer at high speeds of rotation of lacquer roller 8 up to blade 43 and also guides the excess of lacquer planed off by blade 43 back into lacquer pan 32. Frame 1 at the top and rearwardly has semicircular cantilever supportings arms 46 carrying guide rollers 47 on their top and guide rollers 48 on their bottom for drying purposes. Columns 46' support arms 46 at their far end. Awindup shaft 49 is mounted in bearings on the rear of frame 1 at the bottom. The machine may be driven in any well known manner such as by a Texrope drive 50 from a motor not shown, to pulley 51 on shaft 52 carried in hearings on frame 1. Shaft 52 carries gear 53, driving gear 54 secured to shaft'55 of paper roller 7. Shaft 52 also carries sprocket wheel 56 for chain 57 rotating driven sprocket wheel-58 to drive shaft 59 carrying gear 60, driving gear 61, the latter driving gear 62 on shaft 49 to wind up the paper. A tension idler roller 63 is adapted to take up the slack of chain 5'7. Shaft carries gear 64 to drive gear 65 to rotate shaft 66 of the lacquer roller 8.

v The operation of the device is as follows:

Rollers 7 and 8 are adjusted by means of handwheels 9,9, for the proper pressure with respect to the paper and lacquer to be used and blade 43 is set for the proper depth of coating. The paper stock 67 is placed on shaft 23 and threaded around guide rollers 28 and 30, thence between rollers '7 and 8 and about roller 7 and over rollers 47 and 48 to windup core on shaft 49. The distance from roller 7 to shaft 49 in connection with the speed is more than sufficient for the lacquer to dry by the time the paper is wound. Where it is desired to coat on both sides the stock is run through and coated and then is again run through with the sides reversed so as to coat on the uncoated side. The lacquer is applied only in the desired amount and because of the pressure exerted between the rollers is forced into the in equalities of the surface giving a firm adhesion and actual impregnation of the paper by the lacquer thereby preventing flaking of the coating and permitting accurate depth of coating to be applied without streaking. The device is adapted to run at relatively high speeds thereby increasing the efllciency. The adjustable blade 43 not only functions to plane off the irregular rings of greater depth of lacquer but also planes ofi. the lacquer to the desired thickness. The lacquer pan is relatively shallow and is fed from an enclosed reservoir at the same rate as the lacquer is applied thereby preventing gumming and permitting a uniformity of coating not possible where a thinner for the coating must be used from time to time. The application of the lacquer under pressure facilitates the drying and enhances the lacquer as a protective coating as well as giving a more even and uniform surface to the coating.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided a method and apparatus for the coating of materials with lacquers efliciently without streaking and uniformly and wherein the coating adheres to the paper.

What I claim is:

1. In a coating machine a rotatable material roller and a rotatable coating roller, a pan for the coating material, said coating roller partially rotating within said pan, said pan supported by four parallel arms, means for rocking said arms to lower the pan while at the same time said arms move sideways to permit'removal of said pan from beneath said rotating coating roller.

2. In a coating machine, a rotatable material roller and a rotatable coating roller, a pan for coating material, said coating roller rotating partially within said pan, an air tight container for coating material supply, means to feed said pan with coating material at a rate of flow to maintain said pan with a predetermined amount of coating material from said air tight container, means for planing the coating material to a predetermined thickness on said coating roller prior to applying upon the material the coating by said coating roller and a shield below said planing means to guide the excess material back into the pan and to prevent surging of the coating material.

JOHN JEROME CASE. 

